Throughout 2021, 149 substantive and acting principal or deputy principal appointments were made.
Hutton Consulting Australia completed an audit of current selection processes and documentation and presented a report with recommendations to improve current processes. PLC personnel collaborated with Schools Performance Leaders to develop a plan to effect agreed changes and this work will predominantly take place in the first half of 2022.
Connections with SA based universities were strengthened and Working in a Catholic School presentations to preservice/graduating teachers were conducted via online webinars. The CEO and Aquinas College partnership was strengthened and CEO staff provided information and workshop sessions to Aquinians who were studying teaching. Support for Aquinas to facilitate the first module of ACU’s Signum Fidei Program was provided but COVID restrictions saw a deferral of the retreat day to 2022.
Four scholarships were awarded in the 2021 SACCS Country Scholarship program. One recipient completed his studies at the end of 2021 and three expect to complete studies in 2022. These three will receive scholarship funding again in 2022.
There were four new recipients awarded a scholarship for 2022. One will complete studies at the end of 2022 and the remaining three will be supported via scholarship funding for two years. Of note, all four recipients for 2022 reside at Aquinas College.
A database of over 400 teachers in their first two years of teaching was built in 2021 to track onboarding and induction activities as part of the Teacher Accreditation Policy requirements. Of note, a number of teachers who have worked in CESA schools for a number of years were identified as not meeting requirements for formal CESA Teacher Accreditation. A successful awareness raising campaign regarding essential requirements for induction and study requirements (Graduate Certificate in Catholic Education or equivalent) saw an increase in uptake and participation in these accreditation components.
To complement the mandated induction modules, a number of elective modules were offered to support those new to teaching. For those in the second or third year of teaching, information sessions and support were provided to assist teachers to move from Graduate level to Proficient, and to achieve full teacher registration.
An initiative to have at least one nominated teacher mentor in each school to support early career teachers and preservice teachers commenced with a number of schools nominating teacher mentors. A workshop was delivered for teacher mentors which included input from personnel at the Teachers’ Registration Board.
Funding to release teachers to engage in the certification process was offered to CESA schools in 2021. As a result, over 120 teachers have engaged in the Teacher Certification process to seek ‘highly accomplished’ or ‘lead’ teacher status. The process usually takes 12 months to reach submission stage. Applications are received and endorsed by the SA Teacher Certification Committee, a cross sector entity. The Teachers’ Registration Board receives notification whenever a teacher is certified, and the level of certification is added to the teacher’s registration certificate.
13 teachers were certified in 2021 and a further 4 Highly Accomplished or Lead Teachers (HALT) certified teachers successfully completed the renewal process (conducted after 5 years’ certification).
Since 2014 CESA has been growing HALT certification numbers and has made a commitment for strong future growth. At the end of 2021, 33 teachers have been certified since the inception of the national certification process. The Association of Independent Schools SA have 14 teachers certified while the Department for Education have 148. In CESA there was noticeable growth when the HALT certification was supported with no application fee in 2016 and then again this year with funding to release teachers. There is an expectation that this growth will continue with proposed increases in HALT Allowances in the new Enterprise Agreement.
The following table indicates certification trends across all three South Australian education sectors since 2014:
2021 professional learning programs and events continued to be impacted by COVID restrictions. A number of offerings and programs were cancelled, postponed or modified into online options to ensure some professional learning continued during the year.
A strategy commenced to bring together all CESA-led and sponsored professional learning into one consolidated 2022 Professional Learning Program Guide. Personnel from all CEO sections provided input and the guide was completed at the end of 2021 ready for a 2022 release.
The Principals and Deputy Principals Renewal Leave Program saw very little take up in 2021 as leaders’ plans were majorly restricted by COVID. 2020 applicants were given priority. Thirteen principals cancelled their renewal leave plans, two were able to proceed with Australia-based experiences and eight engaged in post graduate studies. One deputy principal was able to proceed with her renewal leave plan and two cancelled. Thirteen deputy principals engaged in post graduate studies.
The CESA ACU Theology and Leadership Education Program (CATLEP) is in addition to, and complements the support provided via the Study Incentive Program (SIP).
CATLEP supported existing and new students financially to enrol in prescribed units in the following ACU Master courses: Master of Theological Studies; Master of Educational Leadership; Master of Religious Education and Master of Professional Studies in Theology. Upon being granted CATLEP funding, a student can claim for unit fee reimbursement (up to a maximum of $2,000) upon successful completion of the unit within the semester of the course. A total of 58 applicants received CATLEP funding in 2021 totalling $116,000 in support of their Masters study through ACU.
The Study Incentive Program (SIP) provided $157,087 to school and CEO employees to engage in formal study programs. 81 students completed Graduate Certificate in Catholic Education units costing a total of $72,396 in UniSA fees.
Approval to employ a second Early Career Teacher and Teacher Certification Advisor was given in the latter stage of 2021 and a successful appointment made for commencement in 2022.
The introduction of a Talent Acquisition and Development Specialist role was also approved and will commence in January 2022 to support the CESA Workforce Development Plan.
